so -- yeah -- active (minimalist) two-channel preamps: what do you guyses like?

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    C28. Dismal sounding piece of hardware.
    No experience with current preamps from Mac, I will admit.

    The MX110 is not bad at all -- but I don't need the tuner or most of the kerfuffle on it. Not a "transparent" sounding piece, either... not a good match for an SET amplifier IMO.

    Pretty piece of hardware but not what I need.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,522
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    I like using my Benchmark DAC2 in preamp mode. Transparency with a side order of meat on the bone.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    ^^^ innerestin'...
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  • deucekazoo
    deucekazoo Posts: 146
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    The Decware CSP3 pre-amp sounds really really good. It is tubes based.
    http://www.decware.com/newsite/CSP3.html

    The other that I have not heard but really intrigues me is Freya by Schiit Audio. You can run it Passive, in JFET Buffer mode, or in Tube Gain mode. Plus it has a remote.
    http://www.schiit.com/products/freya
    Polk S10, S8, S4
    Polk RT8
    Polk Monitor 7s
    Working on getting SDAs
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    edited November 2017
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    This one's a little out there - but I have a pretty simple (MFA circuit based) tubed preamp made by Charlie Cocci in your neck of the woods (he's in Brockton) that I think is quite good. He's not an email guy - phone only FYI. Happy to PM you the details if you wish.

    He made it for me (relatively) on the cheap, so aside from the great case, and delicious McIntosh (Alps I think) volume pot, the caps are nothing to write home about, but the sound is actually quite good IMO, and well below the price range of some of the other mentions. Quiet as a mouse, and does not get in the way of the music if that means anything.

    Circuit is designed to use the so called 6h30-dr 'supertubes' made famous by BAT, but Charlie tunes his and recommends the use of inexpensive (relatively) but still pretty well reviewed 6N6 I believe.

    Meh - just thought I would throw another option out there.

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    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    Looks nice inside to me...
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
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    Not sure how useful it is to your purpose, but a quick chat with Charlie might tell you. Full disclosure, I don't pretend to even know a smidge about amps, preamps or circuits compared to what you have probably already forgotten, but I know it sounds good to me.
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,598
    edited November 2017
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    That Freya looks awesome! It seems too good to be true!

    I've been reading about it and the general opinion seems to be that the tubes that they provide are adequate at best, and that great improvements are noticed with better/different tubes.

    Some of the people discussing it over at HeadFi mentioned that they have had some slight "issues" with background noise while in tube mode, and/or microphonics being picked up by tapping the chassis or tubes.

    Anyone got any more thoughts/experience with the Freya?
    deucekazoo wrote: »
    The other that I have not heard but really intrigues me is Freya by Schiit Audio. You can run it Passive, in JFET Buffer mode, or in Tube Gain mode. Plus it has a remote.
    http://www.schiit.com/products/freya

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